


The Shadows that Blind You

by awkwardnarturtle



Series: Chasing Shadows, Chasing Light [1]
Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Will, Secret Identity, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, for their civilian selves, heros au, im only making this more confusing aren't i?, just because nico knows who superhero will is but will doesn't know anything, like super oblivious nico isn't really subtle, nico is neutral and generally annoying in times of need, request from tumblr, sorry - Freeform, superpower au, will is the for real good hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 20:24:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11364975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardnarturtle/pseuds/awkwardnarturtle
Summary: "Who are you, really, Nico di Angelo?" he asked, his lips quirking up into a small smile. "How are you such an enigma to me?"I shrugged, giving him a lopsided grin. "You'll have to figure it out yourself."





	The Shadows that Blind You

**Author's Note:**

> hello hello! it's me again back with a short story of sorts. this is actually an old one from an anonymous request to my writing blog on tumblr late last year. time flies, whoa
> 
> anyway the request was 'we're superheroes and dating but you don't know that' or something like that except the person asked for nico to be a sort of chaotic neutral sort of person like cat woman and then i decided to spice it up a bit by adding in a soulmate aspect with cool tattoos and stuff because why not
> 
> i made some edits to what i posted on tumblr just because i wanted to reword some things, add in tiny clarifications, etc.. but nothing too crazy i promise
> 
> oh and my tumblr is @awkwardnarturtle and my writing blog is @pessimistic-writer just in case you were wondering
> 
> please forgive me for my inability to name things 
> 
> and yeah. that's about it - enjoy!

"Just this once, Knight... I need you."

He was begging me, looking quite pathetic on his knees with his handsome face battered and bloody. Of course, he was wearing that God-awful mask, but I could still recognize his bright blue eyes.

I leaned casually on my sword, too stubborn to let anything I was feeling show. "I don't know, sunshine. Maybe I don't want to get involved."

His eye twitched, and I pulled the corners of my mouth into a flicker of a smile. Had to act the part. "When do you not get involved?"

"When I don't feel like it."

The blue dragon thrashed underneath the pile of debris that my sunshine had used the last of his power to collapse on top of it. It wouldn't be long before it would be free.

"Knight," he begged, his voice breaking. I bit the inside of my cheek, not daring to look down at him - not when I knew he was making that face. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Then you should've looked out for yourself," I snorted, still not looking at him. "Wasting all your power on something like that? Amateur move."

Without really meaning to, my eyes flickered down to him, and I saw the look on his face. He was at the edges of hope, and it showed. From the angle I was standing in, I could see the black sun on his collar bone, which was only half hidden by the scarf he wore.

My resolve cracked.

"Fine. I'll help you. But I'm not killing the dragon," I said, picking up my sword and swinging it into a comfortable grip. "And cover that tattoo of yours. Wouldn't want anyone finding out who you were, would we now?" Too late for that, but he doesn't need to know that.

"I give you my thanks."

I turned away from him, and at that moment, the blue dragon broke free from the debris, spraying its acidic water in my direction. I slashed my sword in front of me, and the water evaporated without a trace. "Don't need it," I said, turning back and giving him a lopsided grin. A flash of confusion crossed his features, and I quickly turned back to the dragon, silently cursing myself.

The Dark Knight didn't give anyone lopsided grins. Nico di Angelo did.

Before my sunshine could think too much of about it, I ran forward, slamming the hilt of my sword to the dragon's forehead. Gradually, it shrunk down to its original size - a child's toy someone set a curse upon - and it wailed at me from the ground, spitting acid water at my feet. I clicked my tongue, scooping up the little beast and dropping it into a pouch that hung from my belt.

"And to think the town's greatest hero, the hero chosen by the sun, couldn't even defeat a toy," I said, shaking my head and turning back to him. "Looks like you've got some training to do."

He hung his head, his blonde curls shining in the sunlight. Even though he was weakened, the light seemed to bend toward him. "I'm glad you came to help."

I didn't bother justifying that with an answer. He knew I didn't come to help. I came to be entertained at best, but ended up being lured into a hero's mission. I offered him a hand, pulling him up.

Once standing, I noticed he leaned heavily on one leg, and there were several bruises and cuts on his face. My hand instinctively went to touch him, but I pulled back just in time, stepping back and throwing my sword into the air. "Your fated one will be worried about you. You look bad." I caught the sword, now a fraction of its size, in the palm of my hand, tucking it into a pouch hanging from my belt.

"I heal fast."

"Won't make them less worried."

"Are you worried about me?"

"Just stating facts." I took another step back, looking around at the damage done to the town. Surprisingly, it was minimal. He'd done a good job. "Until next time, sunshine. See you on the other side."

I left him standing in the middle of the town square, staring after me as I walked away.

 

* * *

 

 

Even in his civilian clothes, he was dazzling. His peasants' clothes only seemed to heighten his handsome features. The black sun on his collar bone was in plain sight for everyone to see, and I often touched my fingers to the skin there.

I'll have to admit, I was still in awe that he was fated to be mine forever.

Sometimes he'd kiss my shoulder blade, where my own black sun was, and I'd know that he at least felt something for the ties fate had forged between us. But I was never quite sure what he felt for _me._

It took him an hour to find me at the tavern after the dragon fight.

The dragon now slept peacefully in a protective box under my bed, and I had changed back into my civilian clothes. The halter top I wore advertised to everyone that I was fated with someone, and I had pushed my back my hair using the silver headband he had given me once we realized we were fated.

He still leaned heavily on one side, but otherwise he looked okay - better than before. He had taken off his scarf and tied it around his waist, creating a makeshift sash that swished around his legs as he made his way toward me.

"You're okay, right?" he asked, his fingertips brushing my shoulder blade as he sat down next to me, giving me that worried look. "You made it to safety in time?"

"Of course, sunshi- Will. Of course, Will." I prayed that he didn't notice my slip up. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the act of being ignorant. He was my William, and he was my sunshine, too. But he didn't know that last part. "And you made it to safety as well?"

"Of course I did," he lied, giving me a soft smile. It was thanks to times like this that it was easy to forget that he was the hero blessed by the sun. As it turns out, heroes can lie, too.

My thoughts wandered to before, when his face had been bloody and his body weak. I couldn't do anything then; my position had prevented me from being anything other than a nuisance to anyone. But I could do something now, when I was allowed to touch him and worry for him.

I reached up, brushing my fingers against his cheekbone, where I recall a particularly nasty cut had been. The skin there was smooth and perfectly healed, but it still pained me to remember how terrible it had looked.

"Nico?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing. I kissed the spot where my fingers had been, not saying anything to him. After I had kissed his cheek, I moved on to the next place I remembered him having an injury - just above his left eyebrow. He shivered, placing a hand on my chest and gently pushing me away. "This is hardly something to do in public, don't you think?" His face was red.

"What? Kiss you?"

His blush travelled down his neck, and he looked away from me. A stab of affection ran through my heart, and I kissed him again, this time on the forehead.

"Nico," he breathed, his voice weak. "I..."

_Say it,_ I silently begged. I pulled away from him, watching his expression. _Say it, and I'll tell you everything. Say it, and I'll know it to be true._

He took a deep breath. "I really think we should go home."

"Of course," I said, masking my disappointment with a quick kiss to his cheek.

 

* * *

 

 

"Why are you so against me?" the hero of the sun asked. It was after a particularly long fight that I had chosen to sit back and watch instead of helping anyone.

"I'm not," I answered, swinging my legs back and forth and staring at the setting sun. "I'm just not with you, either."

"Why not?" he asked, letting the light of the sun heal over any remains of his injuries. "Your beliefs, your ideals... They're similar, if not identical, to mine. You're a strong fighter, and we work well together."

I hummed in response, squinting at the changing colors of the sky. I fiddled with my sword, now the size of a toopick, as I thought of how to answer without giving my identity away. "You're a man of action," I finally said, picking at my nails with my sword. "I'm not."

"But you won't just sit by and watch as other people are hurt."

"You're the hero."

"You could be the hero, too."

Sometimes, I wish he'd just let me be.

We sat in silence for a while longer before he finally spoke up. "You know, the last time you stayed with me while I healed up was when we first met."

A pang of something dark struck me, but I ignored it, staring straight ahead.

"You were absolutely amazing, just waltzing in and defeating the enemy as if it was nothing. You didn't even have a single wound. And when you turned to me, I thought you were going to scold me." He paused, and I couldn't resist glancing over to see the incredibly soft smile gracing his lips. "But you didn't. You were so nice to me, and you stayed and talked with me until I was no longer in pain. You made everything make sense."

My hands were shaking, and my currently toothpick-sized sword sliced into my skin, drawing a tiny bit of blood. I lifted my finger to my lips, sucking on the cut. "You think too highly of me."

"After that, you grew distant. Why?"

"A whole bunch of reasons that are blatantly obvious," I answered, somehow both annoying him and revealing the pain inside me at once.

"You don't like me?" His voice was weak and tentative.

I rolled my eyes.

"Does that mean yes?"

"No. It means you're being ridiculous." He made a noise of frustration, and I let my lips quirk up in a smile. As regular me, I never witnessed him when he wasn't composed or flustered - which was why I loved annoying him like this so that I could see every part of him. If only he could see every part of me.

"Why don't you tell me, then?"

"You'll have to figure it out yourself."

"Why?"

I stood up, placing my miniature sword in a pouch hanging from my hip and wiping my bloodied finger off on my clothes. It did almost nothing to stain the dark color of the cloth. "I figured everything out myself, you know," I said, turning to him. His features were soft in the setting sun, and I thought of how much I loved him. "It's only fair if you figure it out yourself, too."

His jaw clenched, and he looked down at his lap, his hands curling into fists. When he looked back up at me, his expression was soft again, but there was a certain sadness to it. "Could you give me a hint?"

I bent down, my lips brushing against his ear. "Do you love me?" I whispered, tapping my fingers to his collar bone, which was hidden by his soft yellow scarf.

And then I stood, watching his face as it travelled from bewilderment to a subtle sort of sadness. He hung his head. "You live to confuse me," he said, his voice low.

I shook my head, letting out a breathy laugh that carefully concealed how much I wanted to cry. "See you on the other side."

Before I could jump down from the roof, he grabbed my hand. I looked back, and a pang ran through my chest as I saw the desperation in his eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"I've already given you my hint."

He looked like he wanted to say more, but he just sighed. He let go of my hand. I left.

 

* * *

 

 

I ran my fingers through Will's blond hair, watching him as he slept on my lap. Hero business always tired him out, and he would come home to my ordinary self sleepy and on the verge of collapsing. And so I let him sleep.

He had taken off his yellow scarf, and I could see the black sun tattooed to his collar bone, shining like oil in the dim light of the candles. His eyelids fluttered, and he muttered something incoherent, his eyebrows furrowing.

One of my hands moved from his hair to his tattoo, and I traced the lines of it with the pads of my fingers. I knew I loved him. I loved him before the fate tattoos appeared on our skin, and I loved him now. But I didn't know if he loved me.

He cared for me on some level, at least. He tried to get to know me better, and he never refused me when I kissed him. But his thoughts always seemed elsewhere.

It was a funny thing, to be jealous of myself. The Dark Knight had made Will fall in love, but Nico di Angelo couldn't. The Dark Knight and Nico di Angelo were one in the same, but they couldn't be more different.

I traced the planes of his sleeping face with my fingers, leaving one of my hands resting over his tattoo. "Do you love me?" I whispered, connecting the freckles of his cheeks like they were constellations. "I love you."

His eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes, a look of momentary confusion flashing on his face. "I heard a familiar voice," he said, his voice rough with sleep. "Is there someone else here?"

"Just me." His eyes darted around as if he didn't quite believe me, and then he sighed, closing his eyes once more. "Who'd you expect?" I asked, knowing full well the answer.

He reached up and touched his fingers to my throat instead of answering. He opened his eyes and looked at me with the most care and affection I had ever seen in regard to him looking at the ordinary me. "Your voice," he said, tapping my throat, his eyes smiling, "I like it a lot."

"Do you love it?" I asked, and, again, he seemed confused.

"Who are you, really, Nico di Angelo?" he asked, his lips quirking up into a small smile. He stopped touching my throat to pull at one of the dark curls that hung around my face. "How are you such an enigma to me?"

I shrugged, giving him a lopsided grin. "You'll have to figure it out yourself."

He laughed, shaking his head a little and dropping his hand down to his stomach. "You live to..." He trailed off, the affectionate look in his eyes dissolving into confusion.

I waited for him.

He shook his head, closing his eyes. "I must be extremely tired."

Sighing, I ran my fingers over his collar bone, looking up at the ceiling. "Sleep tight, dream well."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, and as always, feedback is much appreciated!
> 
> when i was first writing this i got super into it and it turned out to be longer than expected, so i ended this first part without giving it a resolution and said if anybody asked for a continuation then i'd write one. i didn't expect any feedback but holy heck a lot of people came asking for a second part. so a second part i made.
> 
> (read the next part to see will's spectacular revelation + other stuff)


End file.
